This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued or may have been pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0015280 to Gabel et al. indicates that “[t]he process for health care providers to verify a patient's insurance eligibility and to settle claims is ripe for improvement. Prior to providing care, providers contact payers to verify whether a patient is actually covered under a particular plan, what specific procedures, lab tests, and the like are covered under the plan, and whether dependents are covered. In most present cases, providers either type patient information into a web-based or batch-based system or call voice IVR (interactive voice response) systems to verify a patient's coverage. This process is costly, time consuming, and error prone, often resulting in delayed payment of claims due to eligibility issues.” (Para [0002].)
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0036926 to Starkey et al. indicates that “If [a medical eligibility] application form is incomplete or if the application form includes inconsistent answers, then there may be a delay in obtaining coverage or coverage may be denied. Some application forms include questions that are designed to verify the patient's answers and to combat fraud. A patient may, without fraudulent intent, answer these questions differently. If so, then the patient's application may be rejected or returned to the patient for an explanation.” (Para [0012].)